4th of July
by wilddaisy27
Summary: One shot on how Matt and Em celebrate the 4th of July and Matt's avoidance of a certain question.


4th of July

It was the annual 4th of July picnic. Everyone from CNU was there. There would be lots of food, a softball game and families from every unit. Matt woke up early. He was dreading this day. He usually looked forward to the picnic, but this year was different. He had someone to go with and he knew when they showed up and all of the families were around that the questioning would begin. Questions he wasn't sure he was ready to answer or those he wasn't sure he had an answer to. He felt the warm body move next to him. He wasn't sure if she was awake or not so he stayed very still. He loved this woman and she loved him. That was not one of the questions he dreaded, he had thought of many creative answers to that one. No, the question Matt Flannery was not looking forward to was when are you going to marry her? Matt had never dreamed that he would be considering marriage. After his mother died he said he would never marry because the thought of losing someone you love that much was too much for him to bear. He saw his dad's life fall apart because of it and Matt knew that was not the life he wanted. He enjoyed being single and not having to answer for his actions. When the relationship got too intimate and too deep, he broke it off. It was a pattern he was comfortable with. It never changed. He hated change. Then there was this beautiful woman lying next to him. The woman who opened herself up to him despite her own past hurts. The woman who captured his heart shortly after he met her. When she finally said those three little words he had been waiting and hoping to hear he thought his heart would burst. He starred at the ceiling waiting for her to wake up. He was trying to figure out the answers to his own questions so that he would be able to answer those that would be posed to him many times today. Emily rolled over in his arms and kissed him. He loved it when she woke up and immediately kissed him.

"Good morning." She smiled looking into his eyes and planting another kiss on his lips.

"Good morning sweetheart." Matt replied. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mmmm. I always sleep well when I'm next to you." She said beginning to place gentle, loving kisses along his jaw and his neck. "We have the whole day off."

"Yeah. Why don't we stay here today instead of going to the picnic?" Matt asked hoping to convince her by kissing her neck and then flipping her on her back and moving his kisses down her body. They continued kissing each other and one thing lead to another and before long Matt and Emily were not just telling each other how they felt but showing the other one also.

"I like waking up that way." Emily grinned at Matt as he got out of bed.

"Yeah, morning sex is always good." He smiled back. "You want to join me in the shower?"

"If you'll treat me like a queen today." She laughed before following him into the bathroom.

"Whatever you say princess." Was the only response Matt could give.

After their shower, they both got ready. Emily wearing a pair of jean shorts and a light yellow tank top pulled her hair back. Matt wore a loose fitting pair of black shirts and a comfortable red t-shirt so that he could play softball later in the afternoon. They ate breakfast and talked. Emily began pulling items out of the refrigerator and placing them on the table yelling at Matt in the other room to grab different things they would need for the day. The couple loaded Matt's new red mustang and set off to the park where the picnic would take place. Matt was silent for most of the drive causing Emily to wonder if she did or said something to cause him to react this way. While she was analyzing their morning, Matt contemplated if he really wanted to get married. They arrived at the park much sooner than expected both lost in their own worlds. Matt and Emily exited the car and began getting food items out. Frank saw they pull up and came over to help (harass) them. They were the last ones from their unit to arrive. He took the food from Emily's hands mumbling something about how terrific a cook she was which was a good thing because Matt can't cook. The truth was that Matt made everything there. His mother had taught him and his brother how to take care of themselves and be self-sufficient. The Flannery men could not only cook, but also do laundry, iron their own clothes, and clean the house. The fact that Matt's house was always so neat surprised Emily the first time she went there considering his desk was always such a wreck. Emily was the one who couldn't cook, but Matt always spared her feelings and his embarrassment by giving her the credit for the wonderful food dishes she "made". They Matt carefully balanced the remaining items on one arm so that his other hand would be free to hold Emily's. She always hated these things because she felt like an outsider with all the families. Matt wanted her to be comfortable there because they were "family". When they arrived and everyone was greeted, Matt found a picnic table off to the side where Lia and Duff where sitting and plopped down. He sat leaning his back against the table and pulled Emily down beside him.

"Relax Flannery, everyone here already knows she's your girl." Frank yelled as Matt put an arm around Emily's shoulders.

"Yeah, you're wrapped around her finger." Temple shouted joining in the fun.

"It's hard to believe she'll let you go home with her. She's to classy for you." Binder added.

Emily let out a small laugh causing Matt to being tickling her.

"You think that's funny princess?" Matt asked her not giving up his assault.

"Yeah." She barely got out in between fits of laughter while trying to pry herself away from his arms. "Stop. Everyone's watching." She giggled.

"I think you owe me a kiss." Matt said continuing with, "Then I'll stop."

Emily leaned in and planted a big, juicy kiss on Matt. It was then that Cheryl announced that it was time to eat. Emily stood up and took Matt's hands to pull him off his seat. After he was standing she sat back down and looked up at him grinning.

"You said you'd treat me like a queen today so that means you have to get my plate." She smirked and turned to talk to Lia. Duff was already getting her plate. Matt walked over to the food table and grabbed two plates. "Hey man, leave some food for the rest of us." David, Cheryl's husband said. Matt put one plate down and decided if Emily wanted to be treated like a queen he would give her what she wants. He loaded his plate with all of her favorites, knowing that he would eat anything, grabbed two beers and headed back to the table. He put the plate on the table and then sat down with one leg on either side of the bench facing her. He took a forkful of potato salad and looked at Emily, who was wondering where her plate had gotten to, and said, "Open up Princess."

"Matt, I am not letting you feed me here." She responded glaring at him.

"Why not? I do it all the time at home." He replied not ready to quit this game yet. Frank had come over with his wife and two kids at this point and was enjoying the show.

"We do not. Now stop it." Emily chastised giving him a look letting him know he was digging a whole he was going to have a hard time getting out of.

"I did last night in bed." Matt grinned knowing that would put an end to it. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Matt slipped the fork loaded with potato salad into her mouth. She smacked in the back of the head and took the fork from him. After taking a few bites of the pasta salad she moved so that she was sitting identical to Matt. She took a strawberry of their plate and fed it to him. She followed it up with a quick kiss letting him know he was forgiven. The two continued to share food much to the humor of everyone else at the table. After they ate it was time for the softball game. Emily decided not to play much to Matt's disappointment. She headed to the bleachers with Lia. Matt was playing first base. Frank was the catcher, Duff the pitcher, Binder was on second, Temple on third, David at short, Cheryl was in the outfield with Rachel another negotiator and Ben, a member of HRT. They played against another group from the CNU unit. When Matt came up to bat, Temple was on first and Duff was on third. They were down two runs. Emily stood up and yelled, "Go Matt! You can do it!" The first pitch came in slow and to the left. Ball 1. The next pitch was right over the plate and Matt swung and missed. Strike 1. The third pitch was a little low, but it was over the plate. Matt swung hard and made contact. Duff was running with the pitch, everyone stood to watch it. The ball flew out of the park. Matt hit a homerun to win the game. Emily came out of the stands shouting, "That's my man!" Matt touched home plate and grabbed Emily lifting her off her feet to kiss her. "That's for you babe." He said earning him an "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwe!" From his teammates.

After the game Emily and Matt took a walk around the lake holing hands. Emily leaned her head on Matt's shoulder. It was dark, but not quite dark enough for the fireworks to begin. As they walked Emily was oblivious to the two troublemakers that had come up behind them. Duff and Frank were following them mocking their movements much to the delight of the others that could see them. Emily made a comment about Matt giving in easily earlier when she told him he had to get her plate. She kept teasing him until Matt decided to tease her back and picked her up carrying her towards the lake. "Matthew Allan Flannery, if you do what you are thinking I promise you will regret it very soon." Emily shouted holding on tighter to his neck. Matt just smiled. At this point Duff and ran back and got the others so everyone was watching to see if he would really throw her in the lake. "If you ever want to have sex again you will not do this." Emily tried a different tactic, as the water got closer. She heard Frank and Duff yell in the background, "GO Flannery! Maybe he's not wrapped around her finger after all."

They laughed and were joined by the others. Matt grinned even bigger, "You know you're really hot when you're wet. And the sex thing, I know you'll give in." He lifted her up to drop her in the water. Emily grabbed him tightly around the neck and smiled. Matt let go thinking she would too, but she didn't. The both fell into the water laughing. Emily grabbed him and pulled him close wrapping her arms and legs around him. "I guess I should have warned you that if I go in you go in too!" This time it was her turn to smirk at him. Matt kissed her and she kissed him back. As they stood in the water kissing the fireworks began overhead. Emily stayed wrapped around Matt and rested her head on his shoulder as he turned so she could get a better view. Matt slowly walked out of the water to the cheers of his male friends. Lia came running towards them with a towel. She handed it to Emily who wrapped around them both. Matt stood there with his arms holding her close. It was then that the dreaded question was asked. To everyone's surprise it wasn't Frank, Duff, Temple or Binder who asked it. It was calm and quiet Donna Rogers, Frank's wife. "When are you going to marry that girl Matt?"

Matt smiled at the woman in his arms and said, "Any day she'll have me." He kissed Emily before taking her hand and leading her up to the car. After getting her inside he climbed in the driver's side and reached in the glove box. With the finale of the fireworks overhead Matt pulled out a ring and asked the one question he said he would never ask. "Emily Marie Lehman, will you marry me?" He opened the box and inside was the most beautiful engagement ring she ever saw. It was his mother's. Emily looked at him with tears in her and whispered, "yes." They kissed before she added, "I guess that no sex thing's not going to happen tonight." They both laughed and drove home to celebrate their new engagement. They would wait to tell their friends tomorrow. This was their night, the night this prince had finally found his princess.


End file.
